“Having only one trip interstate in the last six weeks also offers us a good run into the finals.

“We are playing more Sunday matches next year but given that the majority of them are against some of our biggest rivals I think there is an opportunity to create a blockbuster Sunday routine around them, with an emphasis on drawing lots of families along.”

The Magpies face the two expansion sides in consecutive outings sandwiched between bumper games against Adelaide (AAMI Stadium) and Essendon.

Geelong is excited about launching night football at Simonds Stadium, with the first game locked in against Gary Ablett’s Gold Coast on June 1.

The Cats also face Fremantle and St Kilda in night matches at their fortress, also locked in as Saturday fixtures, while Sydney will head to Simonds for a Sunday twilight encounter in Round 22.

"To have four games under lights is a great initiative in this exciting timefor the club. It will be a new experience for both our members and supporters and also for visiting supporters to Simonds Stadium,” acting Cats chief executive Rob Threlfall said.

Western Bulldogs boss Simon Garlick said the Dogs had welcomed their draw despite being snubbed for Friday night football.

“We are disappointed that from an overall perspective our games aren’t as accessible to our members and fans from a free-to-air viewpoint and in particular the prime time Friday night slot,” Garlick said.

“However, we are pleased to have more consistency in our home game slots giving our fans the opportunity to turn up and support the team in the convenient, family friendly time slots of Saturday and Sunday afternoons for the most part.”

The Dogs open with a trio of Etihad Stadium matches, against Brisbane, Fremantle and Richmond.

They will again head to Darwin to host Port Adelaide and will also play away matches in Canberra (GWS Giants) and Launceston (Hawthorn).

The Dogs host Geelong and Richmond on Saturday nights and Essendon on a Sunday in their marquee home matches.

The Launceston match will be the Dogs only encounter with traded full-back Brian Lake. West Coast and the Crows are the only 2012 finalists they will meet twice.WHAT YOUR CLUB SAID ABOUT THE 2013 FIXTURE:

ADELAIDE:

“We look forward to playing two ‘blockbuster’ Friday night games, including the opening game of the AFL season against Essendon at AAMI Stadium on March 22," chief executive Steven Trigg said.

"We are pleased with our 11 scheduled home games, as well as the allocation of five games in Melbourne, in particular the three games at the MCG."

BRISBANE LIONS:

"Overall we are very pleased with the 2013 fixture, which represents a good balance between our football and commercial requirements,” chief executive Malcolm Holmes said.

"Our Victorian members need to be aware the club requested six games in Melbourne, however, with the introduction of Gold Coast and GWS, as well as the commercial deals of a number of Melbourne clubs to host games interstate ... the AFL was unable to accomodate this request.

“We will continue to lobby the AFL for six games in Melbourne in future years.”CARLTON:

"We are definitely set for a blockbuster in Round 2 against Collingwood, but because it is an away game, unless you have a home-and-away reserved seat you are not guaranteed admission into what is certainly going to be a pretty historical match,” chief executive Greg Swann told the club's website.

"Hopefully we’re 11 and zip by then (after our challenging start) and can have a bit of a problem to get everybody in."COLLINGWOOD:

“In terms of preparing the team, whilst we have six six-day breaks in the schedule, generally they are spread out and offset to a degree by four eight-day breaks and a 10-day lead in to the Queen’s Birthday clash with Melbourne.

“In all we feel we have received a well balanced draw.”FREMANTLE:

"Kicking off 2013 with a string of marquee home games at Patersons Stadium, including two Friday night games, will provide an exciting start to the season for our members and supporters,” chief executive Steve Rosich said.

"We anticipate that our first four home games will be heavily patronised, with the potential for all four games to be sell-out fixtures.

“Every fixture presents it opportunities and challenges, so overall, and taking into account the challenges associated with such issues as six day breaks and our heavy travel schedule, we are satisfied with our spread of games across the home and away season.

GEELONG:

"This is a great fixture for our club and our supporters," acting chief executive Rob Threlfall said.

"We think overall it is a fair fixture. We have a good split of games at the various venues, the majority of gameson Saturdays which our supporters like and a reasonable travel schedule."

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY:

We have a great mix of games against great opponents starting with the Sydney Derby on March 30 and we can’t wait for the 2013 season to start,” chief executive David Matthews said.

"Our Melbourne-based supporters will be able to see the Giants in action five times, including our first game under lights at the MCG against Collingwood in Round 18. Games like this are a great opportunity for our young players to challenge themselves on the big stage.”HAWTHORN:

“The club is pleased it will line up against four Victorian sides in home games at the MCG (Geelong, Collingwood, North Melbourne and Richmond), in addition to premiers Sydney and emerging side Gold Coast,” chief executive Stuart Fox said.

"For the first time in several years, the club has been scheduled to play a home match at Etihad Stadium.

"As a tenant club we’re disappointed the AFL has not fulfilled our request to play seven home games at the MCG, however we’re prepared to work with it and ensure our members’ service requirements are met.

MELBOURNE:

"This a good fixture for Melbourne people. The club starts the year with 12 of its first 14 games at our home, the MCG," chief executive Cameron Schwab said.

"The fixture does however present some commercial challenges for the club, with six of our home games at the MCG being against interstate clubs.

"Playing a home game against North Melbourne at Etihad isn’t ideal for our members and it is our stated, clear preference not to play home games at Etihad Stadium.”NORTH MELBOURNE:

"On balance, we are overall happy with our fixture for next season. The AFL has provided most of our requests from the ‘wish list’ we submitted, " interim chief executive Cam Vale told the club's website.

"Unfortunately three of our home matches are scheduled for Sunday twilight which raises a significant challenge for the club commercially and our feedback from members is particularly strong that this is a difficult time slot to attend, but we will work hard to make it a positive outcome for the club.

"Overall it’s a good draw however it definitely presents a strong challenge football-wise. The only bottom four side we play twice is Brisbane but we play team’s like Geelong, Adelaide, Collingwood and Hawthorn twice."

PORT ADELAIDE:

"Overall, we have a great line-up of home games next year," chief executive Keith Thomas said.

"We've got a handful of Saturday afternoon games, but they feature some really great contests and there'll be an extra sense of occasion given it's the AFL's last season at AAMI Stadium.

"Then to cap it all off, we play the very last AFL home-and-away game at AAMI Stadium 16 years after Port Adelaide entered the AFL and where the club won 13 SANFL premierships.''

ST KILDA:

"We have strong home games at the start of the season against Richmond in Round 2 and Essendon in Round 4, which are sure to be compelling matches together with a spread of interstate games," chief executive Michael Nettlefold said.

“We have been able to maintain our two home games at the MCG, which is important for the Club commercially and there is an understandable level of excitement with the historic Anzac Day match in Wellington, New Zealand against the Sydney Swans in Round 5."

SYDNEY:

"Our two home matches at ANZ Stadium are genuine blockbusters against our preliminary final opponents Collingwood, and Grand Final opponents Hawthorn,” chief executive Andrew Ireland said

"We are also pleased to host big drawing clubs such as Geelong, Essendon, Carlton, St Kilda and Richmond at the SCG during the season, which includes two Friday night matches."

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Comments on this story

Watto of Adelaide Posted at 9:04 PM October 31, 2012

What a surprise. No travel for Collingwood and 17 games at MCG and Etihad. Would have to be the most underperforming side in the league. Each year is a super draw and rarely get to the grand final. Tears of joy

Comment 1 of 2

Maxxy boy of Magpie land Posted at 3:17 PM October 31, 2012

Now come on all you whingers, time to start whinging about Collingwoods draw.

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